It looks like the new Zelda Wii U game won’t hit in 2016 after all

Zelda fans, you’re in for some sad news: after a delay that bumped the game out of 2015, it looks it’s been bumped from 2016 as well.

Our first sign that something was amiss came as the game was noticeably absent from Nintendo’s E3 2015 presentation. Now, following the release of their 2016 game lineup, the game was absent yet again.

Unlike the other games slated for a 2016 release, Zelda was marked as TBD (to be decided). That’s not a good sign for a 2016 release. With few big hits coming to the Wii U next year (only Genei Roku #FE and Project Guard), it would seem that Nintendo would be determined to release the next installment in their flagship franchise to help bolster Wii U sales and prevent another stale year for the company’s next-gen console.

However, rumors have many believing that Nintendo is now holding the title for a launch day release alongside their confirmed new console, currently code-named “Nintendo NX”. These rumors suggest that we may see the console release as early as July 2016, although other industry insiders expect that we won’t see the NX until 2017.

It’s beginning to look like we’re in for a longer wait for Nintendo’s most ambitious Zelda title to date. The game aims to bring players into a vast, open world, offering the ability to roam and explore in a way that hasn’t been possible in previous games. Concept art, screenshots, and gameplay trailers have revealed the true scope and promise of the title.

About Author

Mike Macauley is the founder and editor in chief of Lytherus.com. He also founded and runs Shurtugal.com, the official Inheritance Cycle community, and published his book, The Inheritance Almanac, in 2011. Mike can be found on Twitter at @mikemacauley.

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